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BOB MACE SHUFFLERS.

The .cock oT this strain was obtained from Goss of Baltimore.


He was a iine red, blue-bottomed cock, with yellow legs, and
"weighed six pounds ; —broad, compact, well made, full chested
and with rather short and stout neck. His stature was only-
medium, but he was very rich in feather. He was valued be-
cause of the battles he had won, and at the date of this writing
is yet alive, quite a patriarch in his way, having reached his
twelfth y£ar.
He was bred to a set of red hens from imported English
stock, and the result was a lot of very pretty stags, some blue
reds with yellow legs, and some red with yellow or green legs
—an occasional one tending toward a pile color.
These cocks have for the past seven or eight years been the
terror of fhe Wilmington (Del.,) cockers, an occasional one
having there won two battles in one day. None of them have
ever shown the white feather, and thus far few of them have
been unsuccessful fighters.
They are named because of their shuffling way of fighting,
keeping tliemselves at all times busy and on the move, and
having remarkably good wind.
Their reputation is but local, having been mainly used by
some of the cockers of Eastern Pennsylvania. The stock is

well known to Chester county, and has by it been frequently


used against Wilmington, with almost invariable success. The
Wilmingtonians soon tired of combatting this strain, and now
acknowledge it to be superior to strains heretofore highly valued
by them.
The most marked peculiarity in their shuffling mode of fight-
ing is found in the fact that they make a close fight, always
near or mixed up with their opponent. As a consequence they
force the fighting, and herein is the reason of their success.
We are breeding the strain, and deem it mainly valuable for
pit purposes.
123
THE WHITE-EYED GAMES.
This strain of game fowls sprang from a white-eyed game
cock, crossed by Mr. Charles Twaddell with some red English
hens. The had won much celebrity in the pit, and was
father
greatly valued. The first result of the cross was a large ginger
red cock, with yellow legs and a yellow or buff eye, nearly white.
He was very pretty,and won universal admiration. Twaddell
and Mace soon had the stag in partnership and took him to Wil-
mington for the purpose of giving battle to the best that city
could produce. They fought him four straight fights, and at the
commencement of the last one he had his wing broken, when
he was taken home. The writer afterwards procured him, put
him with some of his best hens, and the result is as fine a lot
of stags and pullets as any would wish to look upon. The
white eye could not of course be retained, but the color now
reached is quite as pretty, and we believe the stock is stronger
and better.
Mr. Twaddell, to whom we are indebted for this strain, is a
whole souled and wealthy sporting gentleman, given to a fond-
ness for gunning, horses, &c. He is a patron of Mr. Mace's,
and when he has anything new and valuable in the fowl line
shares his luck with the latter.

We have been unable to trace the origin of the old white-


eyed cock, but presume his peculiarity was the result of a pet
fancy in the mind of some careful breeder, who obtained the
result by gradual approximation and by a system of crossing.
We know of no distinct white-eyed breed, either in this country
or elsewhere, and in the absence of any such the peculiarity
must have come from the course suggested. This result would
be yet more easy and sure of attainment than breeding to a
peculiar hackle or tail feather, and this fact makes our theory
more than plausible.
The weights of the strain run from four and a half to six
pound cocks and fair sized hens. They have good, strong legs,
and are quick, restless fighters.
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THE CAMERON STRAIN.

For a history of this strain we are indebted to Mr. Banjamin


F. Shields; The original cock was bred from an imported Irish
•cock, and presented to General Cameron, he giving it to Mr.
iDufiy, ht to John Shields, Esq., (a brother to Benjamin), and
lig transferred him to the author. While in the possession of
Mr. Shields we sent him three very fine hens, to breed with
him, after which he sent us the original, and at this writing we
still have him in our possession.

From the original, we obtained several very fine stags the


iirst season, and from these selected the most inferior one, and
gave him to Robert Mace, who wished to fight him in a scrub
match against his old opponents in Wilmington, Del. He took
liim there, and made a challenge to fight regardless of weight^-
'his own stag weighing six pounds. He fought him four battles
in succession, with odd weights against him, winning all with
ease and wished to continue the sport on this basis, but though
;

there were both English and Irish sportsmen present, they re-
fused to continue it. Mace then declared he would give them
further evidence of the gameness of this stag. He then took
the heels off the stag and placed them on a game cock of his
raising, and cut the stag down. This operation required an
Ihour's time, the stag dying while it had hold of the cock's wing.
The was one of the hardest and most savage fighters
father
we When his hold was broken his bills would come
ever saw.
together with a snap, in very savageness and spite. His blows
were hard and strong, and as frequent as the emergency de-
manded.
We have yet got two full brothers of the stag that was cut
125
126 Game Fowls.

down in Wilmington, finer in shape and stature we bred from


;

them last year,and intend to keep them for that purpose_ so


long as they can prudently be used.
The stags and pullets from the old cock and the brothers are
finely made, strong and large fowls. We recently sent one of
last season's stags to Mr. Benjamin Shields, and while on his

walk he soon turned upon a Virginia white game, which had


been classed No. i, and in a short time killed him.

The old cock was a light red, with black breast, yellow legs,
and a small top-knot. He stands beautifully upon his pins, and
ordinarily is very tame, but when teased or annoyed becomes
very savage. We first bred him exclusively to large hens, and
the cocks from him are generally six pounds strong weight.
These we continued breeding to large hens (this being the
second generation) and the result shows itself in stags which,
when full grown will show seven pounds. One, particularly
is a dark red, with black breast
noticeable, another is a per-
;

fectmodel of the old cock in appearance and disposition.


So highly do we value this stock that we purpose in the near
future crossing it with many of our most valuable hens. We
are this season producing blues, blue reds and brass backs.
THE BEARDS.

This strain of fowls sprang from a very beautiful brown red


cock that William Beard kept for some years as a breeder.
He was afterwards procured by Benjamin F. Shields, who pre-
sented him to the writer. His plumage was very iine, both
wing and tail long and full. He seemed possessed of much in-
telligence, was remarkably tame, and fond of being petted.
While on Mr. Miller's walk, near West Chester, temporairly
running with ordinary hens, he was observed to stand out at
the base of a tree, guarding his hens (which stood affrighted
in a clump of bushes,) against the aggressions of a hawk hover-
ing near. He stood out in bold relief, motionless and still, but
very watchful, and when Mr. Miller approached him, and the
hawk had flown, he suffered himself to be petted —
thus showing
that he was not the victim of any nervous trepidation.
His original owner was a noted game fowl raiser of Philadel-
phia, the originator of the White Hackle strain. For years he
had the reputation of producing very fine fowls. He was, we
Relieve, a strictly honest fancier and breeder, and had the con-
fidence of all in the line who knew him. The Beard strain per-
petuates his fair reputation, and all that we have seen are a
credit to his name.
They exceed in health and vigor, in strength of body and
limb, the White Hackles, and are better preferred by us for all
purposes.
We bred the old cock to some Baily English brown red hens»
and now have a and large lot of stags and pullets, bred
fine
almost to a feather, which run in weight from five to six and a
quarter pounds. They well fill the taste of any one for brown
reds, being rich in color and of very full plumage. Their heads
127
t28 Game Fowls.

are small and snake like, with necks looking somewhat larger
than they really are because of this fact. They are greatly ad-
mired by English cockers in Eastern Pennsylvania, and are
>^lmost invariably thought exact duplicates of the Bailey stock
one of much celebrity hereabouts.
They are remarkably hard and fast fighters, and are through-
out reliable. They will adorn any cocker's yard, and be a source
of pride to any game fancier.
THE SHIELDS STRAIN.

name from Mr. Benjamin F. Shields, previously


It takes the

mentioned, and from him we directly procured the stock. The


strain show fine black-breasted reds, with green legs, lofty in
stature, of fine plumage, and excellent make-up.
About three years ago we sent a Shields stag to Mr. Cheek,
who in company with Dr. Greenfield and Mr. Yancy, fought a
main against Alabama, they repesenting Tennessee. The main
came off near Clarksville. The stag was pronounced one of
the fastest and best fighters of the main, and easily won his
match. The parties were so pleased with his performance that
they afterwards kept him for breeding purposes.
Similar accounts of the doings of the Shields stock could be
given ad libitum. Nearly all of them are energetic and rapid
fighters, and we have yet to see the first one show any signs of
the white feather.
Mr. Shields has the reputation of being one of the best
judges of game fowls in the State of Pennsylvania, is a careful
breeder ; and strictly honest in all his dealings. The love for
game fowls seems to run in the family, all of his brothers being
skilled fanciers. We have frequently exchanged strains and
breeds with members of the family, and invariably found their
representations true to the letter. They are all well known to
Lancaster county, and while they have never bred for sale, they
are courteous in giving information, and will occasionally ex-
change with parties of fair repute, and with fowls of known
sameness.
The Shields strain has been the favorite of the family for a
'

129
130 Gamt Fowls.

number of years, and has always been carefully and skillfully


bred. The stags and cocks have acquired a reputation which
has become general in Pennsylvania and Maryland, the latter
frequently suffering from contests against them.
Their origin is English, and we believe them to be an im-
provement on the Lord Seftons, for they bear many of the
marks of this breed, yet are stronger, more compact, better-
limbed, and generallymore suited for pit purposes.
We have carefully bred them for several years, and they meet
our idea of a fowl more nearly than any pure English breed
we know of They produce fair sized hens, and cocks running;
from five to six and a h&lf apd ^yen geven pounds.
THE BAILEY STRAIN,

The original of this strain was brought by Mr. Bailey {now


of Delaware county, Penn'a.,) from England. The old cock
was a pretty brown red, sixpounds in weight, the hens brown
and black. The strain now shows all brown reds, being very
nearly to a feather — cutting out black in hackle.
Bailey has been very successful in battle with this strain of
fowls, and has frequently won very important mains against
Philadelphia. He is associated with another Englishman, named
J. Elise, who is one of the best feeders and trainers we ever
saw. He is in these respects much superior to any the Phila-
delphians can produce, and those of that city who know the
fact,and have no especial interest in the main will bet five tO'
four on the Bailey fowls —
not alone because of their confidence
in the stock, but because they appreciate the skill of the man
who sent them to battle.
Both of these gentlemen are fair and straight-forward men,
and neither has ever been known to stoop to any mean or un-
fair act in the pursuit of their favorite sport. They share losses
with imperturable humor, and pocket winnings as a matter of
course.
Some years ago we were present at a main of the Bailey
against the Philadelphia fowls —each party showing fifteen.

Bailey had but six of his brown reds present, having selected
the others from factory neighborhoods in Chester and Delaware
counties. Bailey reserved those fowls of his own stock to the
last,and when they were reached he was five fights behind in

the main the six remaining fights having all to be won in order
131
132 Game Fowls.

to secure the main. We were only a looker-on, but our sym-


pathies were all with Bailey. His cause was a desperate one,
and the odds seemed to be worth a hundred to one against him.
He showed, one after another, his six brown reds, all so much
alike in color that they could only be distinguished by their
weight. The betting ran two to one against Bailey, that he
would lose the main ; but his fowls went in and won the need-
ed six straight fights.
We closely observed the style and fighting of
the brown reds,
and they appeared to win not from any fierceness or quickness
in fighting, but by skill and what we can best call intelligence.
They seemed to fight with deliberate judgment, the secret of
their success lying in the fact that they seemed to always meet
•and break the assault of their opponents. If the other cock
had theand was about to strike, the Bailey cock was sure
bill

to meet and ward it ofi"; but if the other cock lagged for a
moment, the Bailey, ever on the alert, would force the battle
with telling effect.

The Bailey stock are very highly valued in Eastern Pennsyl-


vania, and have until recently been very difficult to procure, the
parties holding refusing to sell.

. The partner of Mr. Bailey also has what he claims to be


very fine imported muff games, but we are not conversant with
their origin, history or characteristics.

Before dropping the Baileys we must tell of a single encoun-


ter against one of his fowls which was somewhat amusing.
During the war Bailey visited the writer at West Chester, and
while on one of the walks saw some students from Cuba fight-
ing games, in Cuban and with natural spurs. One of
style,

them had a little stag procured from us in which he took much


pride, and wanted to find a match for him. He asked Bailey
if he ever fought, and receiving an affirmative answer, chal-
lenged him to a single match for $\o, the parties agreeing to
meet on the following Saturday. Bailey started for home to put
a cock in order,. and the Cuban immediately commenced pul-
ling all the hackle feathers out of his stag's neck, and twice a
The Bailey Strain. .
133

day would put whisky in his mouth and squirt it over the stag's
bare neck and head so that by the day of the fight the skin
;

was almost and of a deep scarlet-red color.


like sole leather,

Bailey put in his appearance with one of his brown reds in first
rate order, and when he saw the Cuban's fowl asked what had
been done with him ? The answer was that " that was the
Cubian style." Bailey confessed that he did not like the ap-
pearance of things, but concluded he would fight, especially as

his cock weighed a pound more, and had been well trained and
fed ; while the other had been penned up fpr a long time, and
had been kept on corn and water. We were called upon to
heel for the Cuban, he never having seen a gafHe. To this
Bailey demurred, but allowed the arrangement to proceed under
the proviso that we would hold for him while he heeled his own.
The first gaffle he put on was in imitation of our plan, and if
the other had been set in the same way he must have won, but
the other he put on in the old Philadelphia fashion. We warned
him of his error, but he refused to acknowledge it, and when
the fowls first went to work the Bailey did all the fighting,
with little or no execution, and after a time the Cuban's got in
two quick blows and killed him. Bailey still remains uncon-
verted on the question of gafting, and whenever this fight is

referred to says that the cause of his loss was the manner in
which the Cuban had tanned his stag's head and neck. He
affirms that the skin was so tough that his cock could not get
and keep a hold. There was probably some advantage to the
Cuban in this, but we yet believe that the Bailey cock must
have won an easy victory if he had been scientifically heeled.
TflE ESLIN STOCK.

We procured one of these fowls from Jonathan Dorwarth, of


Lancaster, Pa., he getting him from one of the Eslin family,
residing near Washington, D. C. Before purchasing we met
the younger Eslin in Philadelphia, and made inquiry as to his
qualities and gameness. We were told was one of the
that he
finest fowls, in the narrator's belief, in America that he had
;

fought him in Georgetown, D. C, against a very fine cock, and


when two rushed at each other, met about three feet
pitted the
above the floor of the pit, and rattled down like Kilkenny cats.
When they landed on the floor the other cock was dead. This
recommendation determined us upon securing him, and the first
year we bred him to some fine hens, sisters of the six Bailey
cocks described as deciding the Philadelphia main.
The result was some very fine brown red stags and pullets,
which afterwards proved dead game and good fighters.
Mr. Elise, (Bailey's partner) is now breeding from one of the
cocks got by this cross, now six years old, and combining within
himself all the good qualities of the Bailey and Eslin.
The original was seven and three-quarter pounds running
weight, and was a well feathered brown red with green legs.
His station was excellent, his movements very graceful, and he
seemed at all times not only to recognize his own importance
physically, but to realize that sagacity was also a prominent
trait. We succeeded in breeding from him three years. He
was a pet and savage at others. We kept him for a
at times,
time running in the yard attached to our residence, and when
he died put one of his most savage stags in the same place.
Visitors made frequent calls to see our games, a few of which,
134
Tfie Eslin Stock. ilJSf

ready foTlsoidmg, we are in the habit of keeping ttftlie" stable;.

the stags ooojped up. These of course kept up a comtant crow-


ing, and we're a source of irritation to the stag outsidfe.' fie'
not only watched the stable, but was always on the look-«rtt' for'
our enteranoe, and when near the open door would peck andl
strike our own and visitors legs in a way far more energetic
than agreeable. We afterwards sent him to a walk in the coun-
try, in care of Thomas White. He kept a number of large
bronze turkeys, to which the Eslin stag took a great dislike,
and never let slip an opportunity for a general melee. At times
the turkeys would concentrate against and tramp and peck him,
when he would be partially. released by Mr. White driving away
all the turkeys but one, when the stag would soon prove the
victor. This was repeated three or fchir times, when early one
morning the same general engagement took place, and upon
Mr. White starting for the gound the stag run and met him
half-way, as though to encourage him in his ideas of fair play,
and when all but one of the turkeys were driven away, he re-
peated the threshing operation. This show of intelligence was
frequently repeated, and in other ways he displayed sagacity
equal to that of a dog.
After we bred from this stag one year, he was sold to W. W.
Lyons, of Jackson, Tennessee. He was extra fine in all re-
spects, and weighed seven and three quarter pounds, and would
fight at not much less.

The same was afterwards crossed with the Jack Mc-


strain
Clellan stock, the result being insome cases the very largest

game fowls now in our possession some of the cocks having
reached as high as nine pounds in weight.
We also procured a cross from the stag described with our
finest Tartar hens, the result being black, brown and blue reds,
generally with green legs — ^all of fine plumage, remarkably
deep chests, broad, short backs, and very strong- in legs and bill.

The cross seemed but a repetition of the finest Tartars, and


the similarity led to further inquiry with regard to the origin of
vhe latter; and we may here state that the younger Eslin
1 36 Game Fowls.

claims for his father the honor of originating the Tartar stock,
and denies the claim set up by Martinsburg, Va. The infor-
mation with regard to the origin of the Tartars, given in the
first or pocket edition on game fowls, was derived from a land-

lord of Martinsburg, but as the great battle for ^10,000, fought


by this cock, came off in Washington city, there is probably a
good foundation for the claim. We are ourself now sixty-five
years of age, and in early youth we remember hearing of Mr.
Eslin as a noted game fancier and cocker. His celebrity in this
line extended throughout the country, as a cocker exceeded that
of any onewe know of England and Ireland may boast of men
more widely known, but they owe part of their celebrity to other
causes. We believe that the Eslin fowls would have all the
chances in their favor as against any nationality, and we can
say without boasting that we could, if necessary, select from
our own walks fowls which could champion the cause of America
against any nationality in the world.

The English sent the writer a challenge through the New


York Clipper to meet them in a main at the Paris Exposition
the main to last a week, only a triffling sum being staked, the
object being to test national superiority in games. We paid
no attention to this challenge for several reasons, the first and
main one being, that we had quit cock-fighting, and determined
not to again resume it. But had we wished to accept, the in-
surperable objection would have existed, that America's fowls
would have suffered in the voyage far more than those from
England. The challenge was evidently not a very earnest one,,

else the amount would have compensated the trip, and


stated
it would have been made soon enough to allow some prepara-

tion on my part. Our impression was at the time that these


parties mainly desired the publication of these names in our
sporting papers.
In a national contest the Derbys and Seftons could not suc-
cessfully contend against some of our best American crosses,
which are of harder muscle and bone.
But to return to Mr. Eslin. We pronounce his claim to the
The Eslin Stock. 137

ownership of the original Tartar cock a reasonable one, ant


leave it an open question between Martinsburg and he. Many
years ago we knew them to be bred in both Martinsburg ?i, !

Hagerstown, Eslin claiming that he supplied those used in Ihe


named place. The cock now known as the Eslin it in
last

many and all essential points like the Tartar, and if all ti.e
truth could be reached at this late day, might be shown to be
the same in origin.

10
THE JACK McCLELLAN STRAIN.

John McClellan, of Gettysburg, Penn'a., just before the open-

ing of the late war, sent to us four cocks and a number of hens, '.

each representing a separate strain. He foresaw the incursion


of troops, and did not wish to lose all of his stock.
One cock when he arrived, was trimmed ready for battle, and i

was described as the winner of nine fights. He was a Pile,

blue, lead and white in color. The second was a beautiful


black with yellow legs ; the third, a red saddle back Pile, with
yellow legs and the fourth a white cock, with light colored
;

brass on his back, and with green legs. The last was from
McClellan's favorite stock, known as the Old Whitey.
We bred all of these strains with their respective hens ; with
•excellent luck, but found that few ofthem would even gener-
ally adhere to the original color, showing that they had been
produced by crossing. While none of the cocks weighed over
six and a half pounds, and all of them were over five and a
half, some of their progeny reached eight pounds in weight.

We do not know the separate history of each, nor does Mr.


McClellan, who cared more for gameness than name of breed,
:andwas always a liberal crosser, and whose habit it was to have
games of all colors. Their history being unknown they took
the name of the owner, and in Maryland and the Southern
borders of Pennsylvania were always so known.
The stock from these originals which we yet retain is first-

class in all fighting respects. They are strongly built, with


firm well-set neck, head rather large, bones very strong, and all

of them possessing plenty of muscle. They are thoroughly


game, and will show fight under any and all circumstances.
We have frequently seen them, when very sick or bruised, still

anxious for battle, and still lustily crowing.

With these fowls Mr. McClellan and his partner in mains


frequently whipped the Marylanders. In one main between
these parties and Westminster, Md., the famous Ned Hall of
138
The Jack McClellan Strain. 139

Baltimore, backed the latter, and entered one of his shake-bags


in their behalf. Notwithstanding this, McClellan's fowls won
€very fight save one, and it was disputed. Each party showed
nine fowls. McClellan's partner frequently entered Virginia
in the winter season, and would keep himself engaged in mains
for several months. He was an adept in the art of training,
feeding and heeling, and always a very successful cocker. His
father (whose name slips our memory) was the game keeper
of Mathew Wilson, of Harrisburg, a noted cocker in his day.
We have lately effected a very fine cross between the Eslin
and the McClellan fowls, selecting the largest and best hens
and cocks of each. The object was to secure pit fowls, with-
out regard to color. Size, bone and muscle were wanted, and
we succeeded in obtaining all remarkably well. The cross

shows pretty much all colors some are fine black brass backs,
while others show blues, grays, blue reds, pile and reds. The
fowls are, we believe, not exceeded in size and strength by any
in the world, and most of them are hard and furious fighters.
Their principal useis as shake-bags, and for cross-breeding with

a view to bring up the size of smaller strains.


Thus far the cocks have been very successful whenever fought,
one of them having won a somewhat noted forfeit in the hands
of Bailey. The Philadelphians, knowing his strain of fowls to
be small in size, challenged him to a shake-bag contest, the
forfeit being one hundred and fifty dollars. Bailey accepted,
put up the forfeit, and then came to us and borrowed a large
cock of this cross, gray in color, and weighing eight pounds.
When he was shown in the city, the Philadelphians could pro-
-duce none as large as the dominie (they calling him by this
name) and consequently forfeited. Bailey afterwards fought
the cock for small amounts, won two fights with him on that
day, and returned the fowl in good condition.
This cross notwithstanding the size and weight of the cocks,
shows some tolerably fast fighters. All of them are hard
strikers. They are objectionable to a fancier, because they will
breed no previously known colors, but we esteem them among
the most valuable shake-bags in the world.

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